Emery’s first night at Radiance was plagued with worse nightmares than at home. It was always the same dream; two women battling behind mysterious walls accompanied by the screeching of birds. As she followed the noise, it always led her to the same darkened entrance of a terrifying forest at night. The opening was tempting, almost hungry for her to enter, for her to understand what lay within. Just before she woke up was the same sad song playing at the edge of her hearing. Taking even one step always woke her up in a sweat.
“You alright, Lamb Chop?” Raven said as the other Amaranth teen combed her hair.
“Yeah,” Emery lied. “Just some weird dreams.”
"Alright!" Darcy announced as she entered the dorm. "In ten minutes, we're going to start our tour down back in the lobby."
After scarfing down their breakfast in the grand hall, the tour began in earnest. Half of the first years followed Darcy and Darnell, one of the other second-year aides, back out into the front lobby. On her first full day at Radiance, Emery was happy to be stuck with her roommates as well as Thomas and Ed for the duration. The two second-years took a moment to explain the magic lifts that could be operated from the lobby. In the event of an emergency, it would be safer to take the stairs but barring a school wide catastrophe, the lifts would still be available. Moving on, Emery's group traveled west along the first floor. They passed their shared dorms with the second years, hearing the older students chatter from behind the common room doors. Classes were on numerous floors with twists and turns having to be explained as to where they led and how far.
Every floor held an entrance to the library which went up the height of the school until the roof. The library was centered in the core of the school with students already going up and down the aisles searching for one book or another. Another magical lift was stationed nearby for students to make a quick transition from floor to floor. A vast array of views and sights were visible from just about every balcony. From the glowing wetlands and towering mountains to the southeast, to the rocky hills and Harnette pitch to the north, and even the wide expanse of the old orchard stretching out from the west tower.
With another brief joy ride on the magical lifts the first years arrived at the fifth floor where fifth years and up lived alongside the pride dorms. Emery reasoned those must've the accommodations Mr. Potts mentioned the other day. Darcy and Darnell stopped outside the Archmage's office, staying in pristine form as they held their group's attention in the middle of the hall.
"Archmage Corinne has her office on this floor." Darnell explained. "But don't be surprised to just spot her wandering the school at any random time of the day. You never know when she might creep up behind you."
"Darnell?" Darcy prodded him.
"She's behind me, isn't she?"
"Nope." Darcy pointed up at the ceiling where the Archmage was upside down, feet unflinching as she stared at them with a smirk. "Hi, ma'am!"
Walking down the side of the walls until she was right side up, Corinne smiled at the fresh-faced students. Her attire was a touch more casual than the previous night but still radiated brilliance and a dash of mischief.
"Hello students, are we all enjoying the tour?" Corinne bent forward to ask. The first years either nodded or murmured a collective, yes, as they reeled from her display of magic. "You're in good hands with Darcy and Darnell. And my door is always open if you'd like to chat... assuming you don't mind a bit of fun as well."
"We were about to show them the observatory, ma'am, would you like to tag along?" Darcy offered.
Corinne scoffed. "I wish I could. I have some things to take care of before classes start tomorrow," She said. "Name a star after me if you find a new one though."
"It's a deal." Darcy agreed. "Would you prefer Lucille or Corinne?"
"What about the Brilliant Corinne... or maybe Lucky Lucille?" She teased. "It'll come to me. Let's put a pin in it for now."
The second-years led down the students toward the observatory down the east end of the fifth floor. Emery fell behind the group by a few feet, her hand trying to grasp the visible, vibrant wind coming off the magical lift. A breeze had carried it into her view, distracting her from the rest of the tour. The strand of colors fell through her hand, only giving the bare minimum display of having been touched by human hands.
The strand fell further away from her and back toward the Archmage's office. Emery's eyes tracked the stray bit of magic as it stopped at Corinne's feet.
With a smirk still fastened to her face, the Archmage lifted an eyebrow at Emery's direction. "Stopping to smell the roses, Miss Lamb?"
"Oh, sorry!" Emery said as she realized she lost sight of the tour rounding a corner.
Thomas had tried waving her down, but Corinne made a show of having it under control with a wave right back. A moment later the strand of magic popped into a puff of white smoke, gradually revealing a dove in its place.
"Actually, I was hoping we could talk." Corinne told her. She gestured to the doorway. "In my office?"
Emery looked back toward the east corridor. "Shouldn't I be on the tour?"
"I'm sure you'll manage." Corinne assured her. The professor pushed aside her dumb founded dove with a sweep of her foot. "Come in, it won't take long."
Emery led the way with her teacher close behind. The walk was short as the two wound up in a room with a dome ceiling and no exit in sight. The only object of note was a crystal ball in the center of the barren room.
Before Emery could ask for her bearings, Corinne, hands behind her back, spoke into the crystal ball and said, "My office, please."
Suddenly, Emery felt herself turned inside out. It was almost as if she was transported into Kroy Wen again. That time, however, she felt a strange tickle travel along her body. Before she could fathom the deep azure colors across her eyes, Emery felt herself drop into the Archmage's office. Around both Emery and Corinne's lower body were falling feathers, seemingly from nowhere. What was it with mages and mirrors?
"What? Where are we?" Emery questioned, still stunned, and stumbling around her new surroundings.
"My office." Corinne informed her as the wizened woman rounded her desk and took a seat.
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